Punjabi Dal Makhani
Traditional indian lentils flavored stew
What is Dal Makhani?
The Dal Makhani I'm making here is from the Punjab area, and it's made similarly throughout northern India. The traditional dal is cooked for hours until the lentils melt and give the dish a creamy texture. It's possible to make dal in 1 hour too, since cooking for hours isn't always realistic for a spontaneous dinner. Either way, long-cooked or not, it's a great lentil stew. I'll make up for the shorter cooking time with creamy texture from cashew nut cream and butter to make the dish soft and creamy — it really works.Making the Dal Makhani
It's not a difficult dish to make. Cook the lentils in advance to get them nice and tender, save some time, and keep them to the side. We start by opening up the spices — in this dal it's the cumin seeds. It's essential that they open up their flavors, but watch out for burning them. They'll turn bitter fast, so it's a fine line.
You can see the flavors of the spices oozing out once the oils are extracted — that's the exact moment to add the water.
Variations in Dal Makhani
The spices and flavors vary depending on the region. In some dal recipes, usually in the south, you'll see coconut milk added along with the water — that gives the dish a creamier feel and those tropical beach flavors.The amount of butter is really up to you. I like to keep it simple with one tablespoon of butter, but some recipes go higher.
You can also add double cream to make the dish really creamy and rich, giving it a smooth, milder taste.
Dal is often served with rice, Naan or Roti. It's a great nutritional dish, full of flavor and comforting — and you can take it in whatever direction you want.
Method
- 1
cooking the lentiles· 40 minutes
Soak the lentils in 4 cups of water overnight. Rinse the lentils a few times in cold water and cook for 40 minutes until soft. Strain from the cooking water and keep aside.
- 2
cooking the Dal· 40 minutes
In a large saucepan over high-medium heat, add the coconut oil and cumin seeds. Cook the cumin seeds for about a minute, make sure they are not burning. Add the Ginger and Garlic and cook for 1 minute, throw in the onion and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the Tomato cubes, tomato paste, cumin powder and garam masala and cook for 5-7 minutes. We are waiting for the spices to sweat out all their oils, this is the indication that we can move on to the next step. Pour the water and cook for about 2-3 more minutes until the sauce is simmering. Reduce heat to low, add the lentils and cook for 10 more minutes. Season with salt, add the cashew paste and cook for 30 more minutes on low heat.
- 3
Finishing the Dal Makhani· 20 minutes
Add in the butter and and the chopped coriander and cook on low heat for another 20 minutes
- 4
Serving· 5 minutes
Remove the Dal Makhani from heat. Pour into a medium bowl, add cream cheese and coriander and sprinkle with olive oil. Dal is best served with Basmati rice, <a href="https://cookincity.com/recipe/indian-naan-bread/">Naan</a> or roti. Enjoy!
Jaron Kimhi
Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.
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